'I Was a Total Idiot': Tom Hanks Blames Himself For Having Type 2 Diabetes

By: Clayton Browne | April 8, 2019

Getting fat means a lot more than having to buy a new wardrobe, especially when you’re older. Just ask actor Tom Hanks. Hanks was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2013 and still struggles with the problem.

There are two types of diabetes -- Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 is the most common type and is associated with obesity, especially in those over age 50. Type 2 diabetes can result in blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb circulation problems or even amputation. Diabetes also boosts the risks of cardiovascular disease.

The symptoms include frequent urination, feeling thirsty all the time and constant tiredness.

Of note, Hanks was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes around three years ago. At the time, he said his fluctuating weight relating to his roles in Castaway and Philadelphia might have contributed to his diagnosis.

“I'm part of the lazy American generation that has blindly kept dancing through the party and now finds ourselves with a malady," Hanks explained in an interview.

He continued: “I was heavy. You've seen me in movies, you know what I looked like. I was a total idiot.”

He also went on to say that his doctors have told him that his diabetes should clear up if he can stick to a healthy body weight.